1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital communication system, and more particularly, to a vestigial sideband (VSB) transmission system. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for transmitting additional supplemental data while being compatible with the existing ATSC 8T-VSB receivers.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has selected the 8 Trellis-Vestigial Sideband (8T-VSB) modulation method as a standard in 1995 for the U.S. digital terrestrial television broadcasting, and the actual broadcasting incorporating the method has started since the second half of the year 1998. FIG. 1 illustrates an existing ATSC 8T-VSB transmitter according to the background art. It includes a data randomizer 1, a Read-Solomon encoder 2, a data interleaver 3, a trellis encoder 4, a multiplexer 5, a pilot inserter 6, a Vestigial Sideband (VSB) modulator 7, a radio frequency (RF) converter 8, and an antenna 9. Initially, the data randomizer 1 randomizes the input data received and outputs the randomized data to the Read-Solomon encoder 2. Then the Read-Solomon encoder 2 encodes (Read-Solomon encoding) the randomized data and adds a 20 bytes parity code. Next, the data interleaver 3 interleaves the data, and the trellis encoder 4 converts the interleaved data into symbols and performs the trellis encoding. After the multiplexer 5 multiplexes the trellis-encoded data and the sync signals, the pilot inserter 6 adds a pilot signal to the multiplexed symbols. Thereafter, the VSB modulator 7 modulates the symbols to 8T-VSB signals and outputs them to the RF converter 8. Finally, the RF converter 8 converts the 8T-VSB signals into RF signals, and the RF signals get transmitted to a receiving system.
FIG. 2 illustrates an existing ATSC 8T-VSB receiver according to the background art. It includes a demodulator 11, a comb filter 12, a slicer predictor 14, a channel equalizer 13, a phase tracker 15, a trellis decoder 16, a data deinterleaver 17, a Read-Solomon decoder 18, and a data derandomizer 19. Initially, the demodulator 11 converts the RF signals received through an antenna 10 into baseband signals. Then the comb filter 12 eliminates the interference signals from the signals, and the channel equalizer 13 compensates the distorted channels using the slicer predictor 14. Thereafter, the phase tracker 15 tracks the phases of the received signals, and the trellis decoder 16 decodes the phase tracked data in order for the symbol-byte converting. After the data deinterleaver 17 deinterleaves the signals received, the Read-Solomon decoder 18 decodes the Read-Solomon encoded signals. Finally, the derandomizer 19 derandomizes the decoded signals.
It is very important to note that the existing ATSC 8T-VSB receiver is able to receive only MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) data, but not any other supplemental data such as program execution files or certificate information. In other words, the existing ATSC 8T-VSB transmitter and receiver are only for MPEG image or sound data. In order to satisfy various demands of many users (viewers), the system should be able to send or receive the supplemental information as well as the image/sound data through digital broadcasting channels.
In addition, it is expected that some of the users will have to use a portable device or a personal computer (PC) card attached with a simple antenna in order to receive the supplemental data. In a case when a system receives data in a room, the data reception performance is generally poor due to the noises and ghosts resulted from reflected waves and many other factors. It is important to note that the supplemental data transmission must have a lower error rate compared to the image/sound data transmission. That's because even one bit error in the supplemental data transmission can create a very serious problem. Therefore, the system must be able to overcome the ghosts and noises generated in the channel.
Normally, the supplemental data will be transmitted together with the MPEG image/sound data using a time-sharing method. However, many ATSC VSB digital broadcasting receivers that can receive only the MPEG data are already on the market. Therefore, the supplemental data being transmitted with the MPEG data should not have any effect on the existing receivers for properly receiving the MPEG data. In other words, the supplemental data transmission system should be compatible with the existing ATSC VSB receivers.